Digital Media Design
DMD Approved for Expansion
Posted on: Wed Jul 02 2008After 2+ years of part time research, a full time program expansion is born. NAIT’s Digital Media Design program (nee: Digital and Interactive Media Design) has received approval from the Alberta Government, Department of Advanced Education, to deliver courses supporting the allied industries of game design and animation. The enquiry was precise in that it was understood that wrong choices for wrong reasons were easily made. The DMD objectives were to produce courses that truly supported the interests of industry, while expanding in ways that were an appropriate fit with the core digital media program. We are happy to announce that we are succeeding in this.
Notice that the reference suggests a process. While a proposal for a defined group of courses was put forward, the reality is that this must roll out evolutionarily. Expectations of the students currently in the 2-year program must be respected. This is made easier by the fact that the underlying curriculum remains undiminished. The current students’ expectations can still be satisfied, with the added benefit of greater options being made available by virtue of the rolled out expansion.
The core areas of Web design, rich media development, video production, graphic design and 3D modeling and animation will continue; albeit, in a more comprehensive state. Add to this game design courses as electives, and disperse the 3D component between video production, game design and animation and you get a sense of how organic the expansion is.
Students entering the first semester will complete a foundation set of core requirements. This path then variegates into the second semester with required fundamentals being replaced by a broad range of elective choices. This starts a “streaming” process toward disciplines or areas of defined interest and ability. It is critical that students are able to differentiate themselves according to appropriate fits into what is really a complex of industries that feed off of core design and communication skills.
We are certainly pleased by how the expansion is coming together. There are many engaging challenges ahead that lend themselves to innovative administration and implementation methods. With September racing up on us, we are excited about the coming year and the accomplishments that will be made by our next wave of talented learners.